Gronk ban: It’s a joke, dog’

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bills rookie cornerback Tre’Davious White shook in anger at his locker Thursday while accusing the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski of being a dirty player for blindsiding him in the back of the head.

As for the NFL issuing Gronkowski a one-game suspension for the hit Sunday, White turned away from the TV cameras and muttered: "It’s a joke, dog." White then turned back toward the cameras and said he didn’t know what to say. "He is what he did. A dirty shot. So what’s that make him? A dirty player. Simple," White said.

White made his first comments since being hit by Gronkowski late in Buffalo’s 23-3 loss. White lay near the New England sideline after intercepting a Tom Brady pass. He had already been touched by a Patriots player when Gronkowski led with his forearm and struck White in the back of the helmet. Gronkowski was penalized for unnecessary roughness.

White was cleared from the concussion protocol Thursday, and he could play against the Colts on Sunday.

Surgery for Shazier: Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier had surgery Wednesday night to stabilize his spine. The team offered no other information. Shazier was hurt while hitting Cincinnati’s Josh Malone on Monday night. He was taken off the field on a stretcher.

Browns fire personnel czar: With the Browns winless and still the NFL’s saddest franchise, owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam fired head of personnel Sashi Brown but said coach Hue Jackson would return next season despite a 1-27 record in Cleveland. Brown positioned the team to be better in the future by acquiring more draft picks, but passing on quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson in the past two drafts and other questionable roster decisions sealed his fate. Brown said in a statement released by the team that he knows Cleveland’s record "isn’t going to cut it" but he believes a "turnaround is coming." Jackson said he appreciated being brought back.

Moon case: Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon denied sexual harassment claims made against him in a lawsuit filed by an employee at his sports marketing agency, his lawyer said in a statement. Wendy Haskell said in the suit that Moon required her to wear thong underwear and sleep in his bed on work trips, among other accusations.

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